Salt-cellar.



\ f FRANK A. DiNsMoRE, or rREDoNIA, NEW YoRK.

SALT-GELLAR.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application led August 14, 1907. Serial No. 388,531.`

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK A. DrNsMoRE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Fredonia, in the county of Chautauqua and State of New York,have invented a new and useful Salt-Cellar, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to a salt container' and shaker, the object ofwhich is to provide a convenient, useful and adequate device containedwithin the salt receptacle for partly closing the outlet opening in thecover when the contained salt is fine and dry, but when damp or lumpy,the same means may be used to break the lumps into smaller particles andthen force them through the outlet openings.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises the variousnovel features of construction and combination and arrangement oflparts, which will be more 'fully hereinafter described and pointed outparticularly in the appended claims. Y In the accompanying drawingFigure 1 is a perspective view of an improved salt shaker andcontainer.l Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is a'lperspective view of the salt breaker or grinder.

a plan view of the same.

The corresponding parts in the several iigures are indicated throughoutby similar characters of reference.

The salt container and shaker or as cornmonly known saltcellar,iscomprised of three principal parts, namely, the base 1, the saltholder 2 with its cap 3, and the internal salt grinder 4.

The base 1 is made in the form ofy a cup and preferably cylindrical. Thebottom of the base has attached to its center, either by riveting,threading, or other fastening means, a vertical stem 6 to the upper endof which is firmly attached the salt grinder or cutter 4. The grinder inthis instance is formed of three horizontal arms equally disposed aroundthe stem 6, and by' their peculiar shape they are enabled to scrape thetop of the salt-cellar free from any adhering salt; cut and break upsalt lumps, and to force damp or moist salt through the holes in thecover 3.

The salt holder 2 consists of a cylindrical shell adapted to lit andmove freely within the base 1 ,and at its top a screw thread is formedfor the cap 3 which is of usual form, that is to say, having a flatcircular top pro- Rig. 4 is vided with numerous perforations 7 throughwhich salt is distributed, and a flange depending from the top threadedon the top of the holder 2.

The arms 8 of the'salt grinder 4 are long enough to reach the interiorsurface of the salt holder 2, so that when rotated, any salt adhering tothe sides of the holder will be removed, it being understood, of course,that the ends of the arms are curved concentric to the salt holder 2.Each arm 8 is approximately diamond shaped in cross section, the llonger axis of which lies in a horizontal plane. The upper angular facesof the arms are straight while those below the horizontal aXis are ofcurved form, that is to say, each si'de or face is concaved from theside edges of the arms to the lower edges thereof.

The bottom 9 of the salt receptacle or holder 2 has a centralperforation through which the stem 6 freely passes, so that said partsmay move one from the other in an opposite direction. The sides of thebase 1 extend up sufficiently high from the bottomto afford means forgrasping the same when the salt-cellar is to be used.

In the operation of the invention, the cap Sis removed and the holder'filled with salt, after which the cap is returned to place. If the saltbe fine and dry, the salt-cellar is grasped in a manner to hold thebottom 1 and holder 2 against vertical movement, so that when the cellaris reversed to shake out the salt, there will be no sliding movementbetween the said parts, and the grinder will be held in close contactwith the underside of the cap 3, thus reducing the area of theperforated top by the amount of surface resented by the grinder. Fromthis it wil be noted that when the salt, as above stated, is fine anddry, fewer erforations are freely open to the exit of sallt and,therefore, the latter will not pour out through the holes at such arapid rate as it would were all the openings entirely uncovered. Whensalt has been left standing for some time in the concaved faces 12'.During this process, the base and holder may be moved longitudinally soas to break up a great quantity of hardened salt. When the salt is dampor moist and refuses to be shaken out of the openings 7, the saltecellaris taken up as before and the bottom rotated on the holder 2, pushing ittowards the outer end at the same time. The angles 13 of the arms 8 arethus forced against the under surface of the cap, so that these edgeskeep the cap clean and free from salt, While the inclined faces 1] forcethe salt in a downward direction and out through the holes in the cap.

A salt-cellar constructed in accordance with the present invention maybe made entirely of metal, metal and glass, or other materials which,together, will form an ornamental and useful combination.

What is claimed is l. A salt cellar comprising' a base, a salt holderhaving a cylindrical interior surface longitudinally and rotatablymounted in said base and having a flat removable perforated cap, and asalt grinder within the salt holder having a plurality of radial armsextending to the inner cylindrical surface of said salt holder, saidgrinder fixed to the upper end of a stem rising from the base in theaxis of said holder, said grinder adapted to be moved from the cap tothe bottomof the salt holder and scrape adhering salt from the innersurface thereof.

2. A salt cellar comprising a cup like cylindrical base, a cylindricalsalt holder rotatably and longitudinally mounted in said base and havinga cylindrical inner surface throughout its length, the bottom of saidsalt holder having a central opening, a fiat cap provided with aplurality of perforations for the escape of salt, a salt grinder Withinsaid holder having a plurality of arms extending to the inner surface ofsaid salt holder each of which arms is adapted to contact with the undersurface of said. cap to remove adhering salt, a stem fastened to saidbase extending through the central opening in the bottom of the saltholder for supporte ing the salt grinder', the latter being movable fromend to end of the salt holder.

3. A salt cellar comprising a cup-like base, a cylindrical salt holderrotatably and longitudinally mounted in said base, a 'tlat perforatedcap screwed onto the top of said salt holder, a stem attached. to said.base extending upwardly in the axis of said salt holder, and a saltgrinder fastened to the upper end of said stem and formed with aplurality of equally spaced radial arms, each arm being diamond shapedin cross section with its upper-faces lying in inclined planes anditsunder faces of concave formation.

4l. A salt cellar comprising a cup-like base, a cylindrical salt holderrotatably and. longitudinally mounted in said base, a flat perforatedcap screwed. onto the top of said salt holder, a stem attached to saidbase extends ing upwardly in the axis of said salt holder, and a saltgrinder f stened to the upper end of said stem and formed with aplurality of horizontal equally disposed radial arms each having alength equal to the radius of the vessel within which it operates and ofdiamond shape in cross section, the longer axis of which lies in ahorizontal plane, the upper faces of each arni lying in inclined planesto form, a radial edge, the under faces of each of said arms .having aconcaved. formation and the side edges adaptedto cut salt within thesaltcellar.

ln testimony that l claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses FRANK A. DINSMORE.litnesses:

OLIVE P. JENKINS, EDNA L. Snrrn.

